Effects of different materials and machining parameters on dust and noise levels in circular saw machines

The woodworking industry encompasses numerous production processes that expose workers to dust and noise, which must be addressed with care in terms of occupational health and safety. Dust particles can cause severe respiratory health issues, while exposure to high noise levels can lead to hearing loss, stress, and a decline in work performance. This thesis aims to analyze the effects of dust and noise exposure on worker health in the woodworking industry and to propose recommendations for mitigating these impacts. In the study, samples of Scots pine, beech, plywood, MDF, OSB, and particleboard, which are materials frequently used in the woodworking industry, were cut on a circular saw machine using two different saw blade rotation speeds (3000 and 6000 rpm), two different material feed rates (5 and 9 m/min), and saw blades with three different tooth counts (28, 48, and 60). The cutting operations were conducted with the dust extraction system both on and off. During the cutting processes, the amount of particulate matter (PM10) in the environment was measured in real time using a particulate matter measuring device and recorded in μg/m³, while noise levels were recorded in decibels dB(A) using a decibel meter. The collected data were analyzed using ANOVA and Duncan tests, and the results were compared based on different materials and processing parameters. Subsequently, the response surface methodology was employed to determine the optimal processing parameters for minimizing noise and dust data for each material. The analyses revealed that the parameters used in the study caused significant differences in dust and noise generation during the processing of different materials. Although the overall values were relatively close to each other, the noise level recorded during the cutting of Scots pine samples was found to be 2,8% higher compared to MDF samples, which exhibited the lowest noise levels. Additionally, the noise levels for Scots pine were 1,2%, 0,9%, 2,5%, and 1,4% higher compared to beech, plywood, OSB, and particleboard, respectively. The effect of material type and all other factors on the amount of particulate matter (PM10) generated during the cutting of different wood materials with a circular saw was also found to be statistically significant. The highest PM10 level was observed in particleboard, while the lowest was detected in Scots pine samples. The PM10 amount in particleboard was 84% higher than in Scots pine. The research findings clearly demonstrate the necessity of minimizing dust and noise exposure in the workplace.